It's gonna be a long night.

peter nap

peter nap

Joined
Nov 27, 1999
Messages
3,745
I did some trading with Mark at the Hammerin. I'll let him tell you about it because I wasn't there today.

I got a blade from him that had warped during heat treat. Today I annealed it, reforged it straight and re hardened it. So far, so good. I assumed it was the king of steel .............never assume. I tempered at 335 because I wanted it a little softer than normal. Glass hard.

Moved to 360F....Glass hard.

I am working at 380 now and I'm betting it's 01 and will still be too hard. These 2 hour sessions are going to get old tonight!
 
the file still skates at 380. I used three files to make sure and pinched myself to make certain I wasn't having a nightmare.

On to 400! :grumpy:
 
Good to see ya working with some REAL steel. ;)

JK of course. Can't ya jsut call him and ask? Or not have his number?
 
Peter, you are stuck in the 5160 twilight zone. You have wasted many hours and BTUs tempering below 400F. :confused: Temper only 1 hour at 400 and go from there. Do a final 1 hour temper about 25 F below the temper that works for you. (with all the heat you've thrown at it today I doubt the secondary temper will be needed.)

RL
 
Can't ya jsut call him and ask

He's still in the sticks!

I'm a little ahead of you Rodger. The way it's looking now is that it may be W2 or maybe 1095.
The tester I have doesn't always give me a good impression but it looks like R62 at 400.

I'm going to move up a little and rod test it!
 
After all this and its 62 HRc after 400 F I would question something concerning the tester. You know if you go too far you'll have to do it all over again tomorrow.

On a perfect quench, look for about 62 after a 400 F temper - according to my data for either 1095 or W2.

How soft are you aiming for (serious)?

RL
 
I would question the tester too Rodger but the file is still skating.
I'm not shooting for any specific hardness. I'm just trying to find the point where the edge springs back. Right now it is just chipping!

I just pulled it again Rodger. I'm pretty sure it's W2. I'm not going to bother with the tester (always hated the darn thing anyway)
It's beginning to act better at 460F. Still chipping some but not as badly and the file gets a mild bite.

I think 475 will take it home!
images


BTW...I know how it warped now. You have to temper it in the fires of he!! to get it to a usable hardness!
 
peter nap said:
the file still skates at 380. I used three files to make sure and pinched myself to make certain I wasn't having a nightmare.

On to 400! :grumpy:
Click to expand...
It's good to know that some makers still practice mystic rituals in the dark of night!
costumed-smiley-043.gif
I like that. :D
Regards,
Greg
 
Peter, How fresh is your file? Just thought I'd ask.

Roger, I miss your turkey. I couldn't agree with you more......
 
That's fileS Ray :D I had the same thought and used 3 of them. All good and one almost new. At first I couldn't.t believe it and tried one on another blade I had finished in the shop. It cut fine.

I gave up last night and didn't go beyond 460.

This morning I pulled the blade out and started to play with it again. Without putting it back in the oven, I tried the files. Still getting a slight bite so I ground a wire edge in a section and brass rodded it.

Surprise, surprise. It didn't break off. It's different, but it didn't break or really bend over. Just a very stiff spring until I redid it a few times and then it came off in a nice even strip like the wire edge on Damasteel.

It seems that 460 is the magic number. I'm still guessing W2. When Mark gets back today he will probably tell me it's an old tailpipe or something. He said he forged it at some hammerin somewhere.

At this point I'd like to throw in the fact that he did a super job forging it. Just a wonderful taper and flats. The only problem is he got it too hot on one side when HT'ing and it bowed slightly. I think he ground it without realizing it and it made an S at the spine. There was plenty of meat left to correct it.

Whatever this is, I'm interested. I have secretly felt for years that 01 took and kept the best edge. It's a pain compared to the king but it is a cutting fool.

At the risk of saying anything way too early, this has it beat hands down.

I am guessing it will be a pain to resharpen in the field without a good stone but I always have one anyway.

It also takes a lot of heat to temper. That could be done in an emergency or survival situation by having a Hanover Deputy hold it while spraying a fine mist of Holy Water on him. Should be just right if you don't get too much water at one time and get spontaneous a$$hole combustion! :footinmou

Mondays are always busy but somehow I'm going to steal some time to play with this. ;)
 
OK Rodger, Mark says it is 1095 modified (whatever that is) He thinks it is the grate from a Cement machine.

Brick Masons....lock up your mud makers! :D
 
Keep us posted on your final tempering temperature(s) and how the edge performs at that. I guess you did a water quench(?). Being 1095, it seems like you hit the quench just right. What was your austenitizing temperature, or did you do it in the forge?

RL
 
final tempering temperature
It was 460 F Rodger.

I guess you did a water quench(?).
No it was a light veggie oil. The stuff I use to spray for mosquito's. :o

What was your austenitizing temperature, or did you do it in the forge?
Worse, it was in a coal forge...or is it ON a coal forge.

I'm going to try to get a handle on it tomorrow and do some cutting. It is still interesting how tough the edge seems!
The sad part is, I'll never find more of it.
 
Peter, it seems you have a green HOT thumb for HT'ing. Perhaps you should sometime try to repeat it with 'store bought' 1095 as a comparison. Vegie oil uh(?).

RL
 
Rodger, God looks after fools and Children. I thought it was 5160 when I started.
I've used 1095 and it didn't take as much heat as this one did. I was certain it was going to be W2.

It sure did move well under the hammer though!
 
It may not be the same chemical composition we see in the 1095 data sheets. I wonder.

Anyhow, it looks like you got a good deal on that blade.

RL
 
Cant wait to see what you do with it Don, You know what it looks like it wants to be dont ya? Rhymes with bagel :)
 
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